The Mad Italian

The Mad Italian opened its first of many Atlanta locations in the ’70s. Nowadays, their Chamblee location is the sole servicer of what they tout as “the best cheesesteak south of Philly.” While we won’t co-sign that claim (since we’ve had better in the A), their gooey cheesesteak is still their most popular menu item and an enticing consideration if we need to escape I-285 Perimeter traffic for a bite. Aside from that, it’s a hodgepodge of tolerable, fast-casual takes on American-Italian dishes like lasagna, creamy fettuccine alfredo, and thin-crust pizzas. The casual dining room is divided into two sections: one for the fully stocked bar with TVs and the other for screen-free eating. But on nice days, we usually post up on the massive patio and finish our meal with a giant chocolate chip skillet cookie topped with vanilla ice cream.